DISABILITY FROM VESTIBULAR SYMPTOMS AFTER ACOUSTIC NEUROMA RESECTION

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the recovery of balance functi on after acoustic neuroma resection. Study Design: This study was a re trospective case review with patient survey. Setting: The surgery was conducted at a tertiary referral center. Patients: Patients who underw ent surgical resection of acoustic neuroma and had preoperative vestib ular function testing were eligible for entering the study. Interventi ons: All patients received surgical resection of acoustic neuroma. Pat ients treated since 1990 received postoperative vestibular habituation exercises. Main Outcome Measures: These included postoperative sympto m and disability scores, dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) total and subset scores, time after surgery at which patients were able to walk independently, whether patients returned to their usual professional r esponsibility, and time to return to full activities at work. Results: Significant correlation was found between several preoperative sympto ms and vestibular testing results and the resulting postoperative disa bility from dizziness, Conclusions: This information may be helpful in counseling patients before surgery with respect to the degree of post operative dysequilibrium and may suggest that the clinician should ini tiate more aggressive vestibular rehabilitation exercises in patients who may be at greater risk of having persistent dysequilibrium develop after surgery.